Afghanistan crisis: 16 evacuees test positive for COVID-19 on arrival in Delhi

NEW DELHI: 16 Afghan evacuees, out of 78, who landed in Delhi have tested positive for COVID-19, reports said.

On Tuesday 78 people, including 46 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, flew into Delhi from Kabul via Dushanbe on an Air India flight along with three copies of Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib.

Reportedly, all the positive citizens have been taken to LNJP Hospital and the rest are quarantined at an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp in south-west Delhi's Chhawla.

Also Read: Air India flight airlifted 78 people from Afghanistan lands in Delhi

The Union Ministry has made it mandatory for the people arriving from Afghanistan to undergo a  minimum 14-day institutional quarantine.

"Any person testing positive or detected as symptomatic shall be shifted to dedicated Covid Care Centre or Covid hospital of NCT of Delhi," the memorandum by the Union Ministry read.

Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and V Muraleedharan received the three copies of the Sikh scripture and the batch of Afghan Sikhs at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

Reportedly, 200 more Afghan Sikhs and Hindus are still stranded in Afghanistan.

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